| HealthLeaders Media Finance - October 1, 2007 | A Saner M&A Market |
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A Saner M&A Market
Philip Betbeze, Senior Editor-Finance
Nashville may not be on the same level as cities like New York or San Diego when it comes to hosting healthcare conferences, but my home city has its share of drawing power. Case in point: I attended a very interesting conference last week on healthcare business and never left town. Strategic Research Institute's 5th Annual Healthcare M&A conference was enlightening, if only because the event provided a window into the inner workings of buying and selling for-profit healthcare companies. And let me tell you, thanks to the credit crunch--at least for the near term--there's sand in that well-oiled machine. [Read More] |
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October 1, 2007 | |
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Editor's Picks
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AthenaHealth wages war on managed care
I met AthenaHealth CEO Jonathan Bush a couple years back when Athena was just getting started. Rarely have I seen such energy from one person, which can be a good thing or bad thing. In Athena's case, it seems to be a good thing, as the ASP-style provider of claims management for physician practices raised $113 million in its IPO. Now that it's started a new life as a publicly traded company, it will be interesting to see if the company's success (and thus far, its lack of patents) will encourage bigger competitors to do away with their software models and concentrate on Web-based financial tools. [Read More]
Private equity investment: The takeover of healthcare
Private equity's not backing away from healthcare; in fact, it may be backing up the truck. Despite the recent weakness in the credit markets that has seized up many big deals across sectors, this report shows that private equity money is more interested in healthcare than ever thanks to favorable demographic trends and the sector's relative strength in down markets. In short, this is an interesting report on the evolving of private equity money in healthcare investments. You'll have to register to read the whole thing, but it's a small price to pay. [Read More]
In-pharmacy medical clinic leaves clients out in cold
One of the many in-store medical clinic companies that had ambitious plans to install clinics in pharmacies has instead closed suddenly. Corner Care Clinic, which had some financial backing from pharmacy services giant Cardinal Health, had already opened some 20 such clinics. [Read More]
Many hospitals in L.A. on the brink of bankruptcy
Nearly two dozen hospitals in the Los Angeles area, accounting for 15 percent of the area's inpatient beds, are in dire financial condition. Some are taking drastic measures, including possibly closing their emergency departments. The developments highlight a growing divide between the "haves" and "have-nots" among hospitals in the area. [Read More] |
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Finance Forum
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Finding New Revenue For Profitable Growth
Why is finding new revenue for profitable growth so difficult in healthcare? Bill Phillips and Terry Schmidt offer several specific opportunities for profitable growth at your hospital. You may be working on some of them already, but these authors provide several opportunities you probably haven't considered. [Read More] |
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Finance Headlines
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Maryland insurer fined for late denials
Baltimore Sun - September 26, 2007
Senate leader: Losing Atlanta hospital may not be bad
Atlanta Journal-Constitution - September 25, 2007
Spotlight's on pay, care at Philadelphia hospitals
Philadelphia Inquirer - September 23, 2007
Tennessee hospitals spend millions fighting approval of neighbor
The Tennessean - September 25, 2007 | |
| From HealthLeaders Magazine |
EMR Pushback
 Electronic medical record systems promise a long list of benefits, but most physician practices remain unconvinced. Can clinical IT proponents entice physicians to retire their paper charts for good? [Read More]
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Money Talk
A look at one hospital's struggles to improve
 Poudre Valley Health System, Fort Collins, CO
Rating: Baa2
Outlook: Positive
Affected Debt: $380 million
Agency: Moody's Investors Service
Remarks: Outlook revised from stable in part due to the sixth consecutive year of improving financial performance, with an 11 percent margin.
[Read More] | |
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Audio Feature
The Voice for Healthcare Consumers: Regina Herzlinger, The Nancy R. McPherson professor of business administration chair at Harvard Business School, talks about the need to refocus the control of healthcare away from providers and shift it to consumers, and her admiration for a European health system that closely mirrors the vision she has for the United States.
A Meandering Road to Healthcare: Cheryl J. Harelstad, vice president of supply chain management and technology with Allina Hospitals & Clinics in Minneapolis, believes her experience in a variety of other industries helped prepare her for the sometimes arcane world of the healthcare supply chain. | |
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